The Madison Historical Society (MHS) will host an open house on Saturday, Nov. 26, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Allis-Bushnell House located at 853 Boston Post Road. Each room of the first floor has a theme and tells a unique story about a specific period in Madison’s past, according to MHS President Jennifer Simpson.

According to Simpson, the event is all new and will be held in conjunction with Small Business Saturday. MHS expects it will be an interesting way to dovetail with the town events scheduled for that day and evening, which MHS has partnered with for more than a decade.

“We have been partners with this event for 10 years or so. Folks will be out and shopping local, and I think they might [stop] to learn a little more about the history of the town. And this is an excellent opportunity because we are right downtown. It’s a fun opportunity for people to come in and see the Allis-Bushnell House,” said Simpson. “We have worked very hard in the last few years to maintain it, and there will a number of rooms open each with a different historical theme.”

Cornelius Bushnell was integral in promoting and commissioning the first metal-sided warship, the USS Monitor, and saw it used by the Navy during the Civil War. Bushnell was also instrumental in building the Union Pacific Railroad and Bushnell’s influence was so widespread that the state of Nebraska named a town after him, according to historians.

He was distantly related to David Bushnell who is credited with inventing and launching the first known proto-submarine, The Turtle, used in battle during the Revolutionary War. Cornelius dabbled briefly in submarine design after the war himself, but instead chose to follow his passion for railroads, according to on-line sources.

Simpson said all visitors are invited to learn about five events from Madison history, including a special story about the native son whose efforts changed the course of naval warfare.

“Storytelling is one of the most effective ways of connecting with peoples’ hearts and minds. At the MHS, we tell stories that connect people to the past and make history fun and accessible. In the Colonial kitchen, visitors will learn about the patriotic women who hosted Liberty Teas during the Revolutionary War,” Simpson said. “In the Federal-style dining room, the heroics of Captain Frederick Lee and the role he played in the founding of the town will be revealed. Civil War-era stories are told in the front parlors, while tales of women’s suffrage will be recounted in the Victorian tearoom.”

According to Simpson, the highlight of the day will be a pop-up exhibit on the life of Madison native Cornelius Scranton Bushnell. Born during the age of sail, Bushnell left home at the age of 15 to pursue a career as a merchant mariner. After five years at sea, he returned to New Haven to run a marine hardware store with his brother, said Simpson.

“Bushnell was a very compelling and interesting figure. We want to tell his story, among the other stories as well. We have several items on loan from the New Haven Museum, including a cane made from the wood of the Merrimack, which was the other ship in the famous battle of the ironclads in the Civil War (then renamed the CSS Virginia). There is a small model of the engine of the Merrimack as well. We have other artifacts from our collection as well, so we encourage folks to come out and learn about their history.”

An entrepreneur at heart, Bushnell later went on to become a railroad executive. In this role, he traveled to Washington, D.C., where he successfully lobbied politicians for protections for his small railroad, said Simpson. His effective lobbying skills–a form of storytelling–were noticed by members of the Lincoln administration, according to MHS documents.

Simpson said, this unique opportunity allows residents and visitors to enjoy a guided tour of the museum and discover some of the collections preserved within the house. Docents will tell stories of the many ways in which our shared past connects us.

“When we have these open houses we try and do something different each time. This time we though we had an opportunity to aggregate these artifacts related to Cornelius Bushnell and kind of shake up the museum. A museum, especially a house museum in a small town can get static and we really rethought how to present another story of Madison’s history. We really want to have something new and different for every event so we can engage people and showcase our excitement about our town’s history.”

Volunteers will be on hand to answer questions and serve apple cider and cookies. This free event is open to all ages. The Allis-Bushnell House is located at 853 Boston Post Road and the event will run on Saturday, Nov. 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.